Hit TWICE in the same day!!!!

It was my turn to do Sunday chores today. Not an issue, as we are rotating so we only have to do Sunday chores once each month. I started them at 5AM this morning to beat the heat. I checked all the waterers and bunks then. On the last rented place I was all done an went to wash my hands at the hydrant and I had NO water!!!!! I had water just minutes before but none now!!!! So I start trouble shooting the issue. There is zero pressure coming up from the well pit/cistern. I had to take the loader and remove the cement cover as I can't lift it anymore. Then find a ladder that would fit down the hole. So I climbed in and was standing in two foot of water?????? There is not supposed to be any water in this old cistern. It has a drain out of it as the "new" well is right at the corner of it. The cistern is just for freeze protection for the pressure tank and controls. Found the drain an cleaned the cover off and got the water out. I then found that the pressure switch had blown the diaphragm an was leaking water. This floated some dirt/stalks/junk over the drain, plugging it. The water slowly got high enough to short out the leaking pressure switch. So back to the house to get the "extra" new pressure switch. Got everything working by 9 AM. I lost count of how many times I was up and down the ladder. LOL Seems like fifty now.

So I am wet, dirty, and HOT. I go an check all the other cattle then head home for lunch. I am filthy dirty so I hit the shower as soon as I get home. I am about done. I have my hair all soapy when !!!!! NO WATER!!!!!! I can't see for the soap running down into my eyes. Luckily the wife had a gallon of distilled water in the kitchen. I was able to rinse my hair/face off. So I get dressed back in my dirty cloths. Then to the outside door to the basement I go. LOL Want to guess what failed??? The pressure switch. I did not have an another "extra" one. So off to town I go. I got a new one. Then when I was taking the old one off the pipe nipple twisted off in the fitting. ARRRRRRKKKKKK!!!!! The I could not get the next reducing bushing out either. Long story short I ended up having to replace the plumbing from the well inlet to the pressure tank. I got finished around 4 PM.

I just got ANOTHER shower and I am setting in front of my computer with the AC on HIGH. I wonder what city water would be like???? LOL

What would city water be like? Only a few fewer plumbing problems, and MUCH more expensive! Also, when water stoppages do occur, you can't do anything to fix it.

Wow, that sounds like our place, 3 different wells, one cistern and pump pit too, between the weather and problems, its enough to drive you nuts. One well is the best water but the supply is limited. I used to tell the people, (horses at this place) using the water to let it rest at the end of the day, so I could hose off after being in these barns (ovens) in the summer.

I'm not so sure I could deal with heat and humidity today like I did in the past, doing hand labor in those barns, same with stacking hay in the one barn as well. That cold well water sure was nice to cool off before I took the 30 mile ride home, but you had to reserve it or some fool would wash a horse down and its too cold for that anyway.

I've done more plumbing, piping, repairs and related work in the past to keep water flowing. Its beyond belief, and just when you think you have it solved, something else goes, or both light bulbs go out in the pump house over one well in the winter....

Good side is, it was only an 11 hour day, man I'd be fit to be tied while in the shower, about the same reaction you have with trespassers LOL always something isn't it?

Its also warm in the summer, one thing about well water around here, its cold all summer long.

No matter what.....there is always time in your life for something else to go wrong.....politely put. :roll:

Look on the bright side, at least you could do all the repairs yourself. Think what it would cost to have someone come out on a Sunday. (think double time} All this stuff keeps you young!

Sounds like it's national "Don't touch anything mechanical on Sunday" day.

Yes you can. You can put a pump on to help it a little. Our line across the river broke and they laid a fire hose across the river. We had water in the basement,but not enough to fill the stools upstairs or take a shower. Put a pump in the softner lines 50 lb.

That sounds almost exactly like a Saturday I had about a month ago. The pressure switch at our rent house went out and the mice had chewed the wires so I had to get new wire and switch. When I get back to the house the pressure switch had gone out there. I had picked up an extra so I didn't need to go back to town.
It was just a few months ago I had to replace everything from the well up at the farm well.

Rest up tonight, tomorrow is another day. We had city water growing up, but Dad had to haul it in, and pump it to our holding tank. Our well had water a few winter months. Stan

At least you didn't get zapped climbing into the water!

When I was a kid, just old enough to hold a pipe wrench, it became my job to keep the old jet well working. Got lit up more than once by standing in water fooling with that thing!

Must be some thing in the water I had the same thing but mine was a o-ring on the bottom of my pressure tank. My repair was easy compared to yours. Randy

Ground temp is 54F winter summer. So is well water.

City water is ok. Just keep writing the check each month and they will pump it to your curb. You are still responsible from there on also to your house.

Only problem with city water is that if you spring a leak or a pipe breaks there is an infinite supply of water behind that leak or broken pipe.

We balanced it out back when we remodeled the house- new well $4500, city water was less than $2000 self-installed, about a hundred a quarter for water. Neighbor told me he spent $70 per month on filters and softener salt to clean up the well water, plus the electric. I chose the city water- no need to have a generator bigger to run the well without power, always good pressure and no softener at all. Still have a well under the windmill if the zombies get to the city pump house... our cows have the cleanest teeth around!

I'll take my well water any day over city water. Have 2 pumps on the well in case one fails. Another on the shelf in my shop. Keep 2 spare switches. City water here smells like Clorox to me. Have 2 generators on the place if the power goes off. Think about how many people will be crying if the water system is tampered with. Heck, I have a hand pump if it comes down to it.
Richard in NW SC

It's like $100 a month

Richard the wells around here are all deep wells. The one at the house is the shallowest at 180 feet. The one on the rented place is just at 700 Feet. The home farm well is right at 450. All the water is hard water so you need a softener for the house but all the water has a great taste.

At least you didn't have to pull a pump. That would be tough in this weather. I have pulled MANY broken off brass nipples by driving the right sized screwdriver into it and twisting it out.

Never in too big of a hurry to fix the well problem. House didn't have a well untill 1988. House was built in 1912. If the pump quits I just revert to the old plumbing from the spring. Have pipes running from the spring into the basement. Pipes are now being used to provide air conditioning. Spring water runs through a coil placed inside a old furnace carcass with the fan still operable. Spring water is at 54 degrees so the air coming out of the registers is about the same. Temps the last few days have been in the high eighties or nineties and the house stays at a comfortable 68 degrees.

Always able to flush the John even when the power is off. Just fill the tank with cheap (not those little bottles that sell for a dollar or mere) spring water and flush. Don't even have to use the old two holler. Nice and warm in the winter.

I have city water plumbed everywhere on this farm. There's only one cistern left but it is big enough to run the whole farm needs. I just got tired of worrying about it. Tonight I watered the garden with cistern water. Is was so cold I couldn't keep my thumb over the end of the hose to spray. Just holding the cold hose made the arthritis in my hand get riled up.

I've been known to run cistern water down my lefts and feet when I get overheated. It's so cold it takes your breath away.

jd ,, I have had days like that ,,. sure makes a fella feel like he mist his blessing.. and got a curs instead ,.. lol .in all honesty , I couldn't survive without jumper cables and a air compressor ..used to think as a kid that the old time threshing demonstrations were so cool ,, lining everything up , setting everything just so so for best efficiency and wind direction , and of course rising up early to build a fire in the boilers to get up a head of steam to run the thresher . ,, if all went well in a couple hours you mite be able to start work ,,. yes I thought it was cool ,,,then I realized it aint much different from some of my days trying to get started ,with all my 30 -70 yr old equipment repairs ,complicated by. dragging around chargers and air hoses ,jumper cables .. ect

Yes, and they charge you for every drop.

Things are never so bad that they couldn't be worse.